SEA DISTANCE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND CHARTERERS
Rotterdam to Shanghai by sea
The sea distance from Rotterdam to Shanghai is 10,594 nautical miles via the Suez Canal, about 32 days at 14 knots. Without the Suez Canal it is 13,473 nm via the Panama Canal, 2,879 nm more. The straight line across the globe is only 4,823 nm, but ships cannot sail over land.
Days at sea
Time under way only: add port, canal and anchorage time to plan the ETA.
| Speed | Days at sea | Via the Panama Canal | Via the Sunda Strait |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 knots | 44 | 56 | 47 |
| 12 knots | 37 | 47 | 39 |
| 14 knots | 32 | 40 | 33 |
| 16 knots | 28 | 35 | 29 |
| 20 knots | 22 | 28 | 23 |
Canals and straits on the way
In the order the ship meets them: Strait of Dover → Strait of Gibraltar → Strait of Sicily → Suez Canal → Bab el-Mandeb → Malacca Strait → Singapore Strait → Taiwan Strait.
Zones on the route
Miles of this voyage inside each area, measured on the planned route.
| Area | Type | Miles inside |
|---|---|---|
| Mediterranean ECA | Emission Control Area | 1,952 nm |
| China DECA (coastal waters) | Emission Control Area | 530 nm |
| North Sea SOx+NOx ECA | Emission Control Area | 396 nm |
| S. Red Sea & Gulf of Aden (ITF/IBF WOA) | ITF/IBF warlike area | 775 nm |
| Gulf / Arabian Sea / S. Red Sea war-risk (Sep 2026) | JWC listed area | 1,912 nm |
| Singapore & Malacca Straits | Piracy hotspot | 522 nm |
| UKMTO Voluntary Reporting Area | Voluntary reporting area | 3,332 nm |
| Mediterranean (MARPOL Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 1,951 nm |
| Red Sea (MARPOL Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 1,226 nm |
| Gulf of Aden (MARPOL Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 494 nm |
| NW European waters (MARPOL Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 445 nm |
| North Sea (MARPOL Annex V Special Area) | MARPOL Special Area | 396 nm |
Emission Control Areas: the ECA guide. Piracy and war-risk areas: the piracy map.
Questions about Rotterdam to Shanghai
How far is Rotterdam from Shanghai by sea?
10,594 nautical miles (19,620 km) via the Suez Canal, pilot station to pilot station, on real shipping lanes. The straight line across the globe is 4,823 nm, but a ship cannot sail over land, so the sea route is 120% longer.
How many days does a ship take from Rotterdam to Shanghai?
About 37 days at 12 knots, 32 days at 14 knots or 22 days at 20 knots. That is time at sea only, with no port, canal or anchorage waiting.
How much longer is Rotterdam to Shanghai without the Suez Canal?
13,473 nm via the Panama Canal, 2,879 nm more: about 8.6 extra days at 14 knots.
How much longer is Rotterdam to Shanghai without the Malacca Strait?
11,197 nm via the Sunda Strait, 603 nm more: about 1.8 extra days at 14 knots.
Which canals and straits are on the route from Rotterdam to Shanghai?
In order: Strait of Dover, Strait of Gibraltar, Strait of Sicily, Suez Canal, Bab el-Mandeb, Malacca Strait, Singapore Strait and Taiwan Strait.
How many miles of the voyage are inside Emission Control Areas?
2,878 nm, in Mediterranean ECA, China DECA (coastal waters) and North Sea SOx+NOx ECA. Inside an ECA the fuel must carry no more than 0.10% sulphur, unless the ship uses an approved alternative such as a scrubber.
Does the route from Rotterdam to Shanghai pass through piracy or war-risk areas?
Yes: 775 nm in the S. Red Sea & Gulf of Aden (ITF/IBF WOA) (ITF/IBF warlike area), 1,912 nm in the Gulf / Arabian Sea / S. Red Sea war-risk (Sep 2026) (JWC listed area) and 522 nm in the Singapore & Malacca Straits (Piracy hotspot). Check the latest UKMTO and MSCIO advisories and your company's instructions before the voyage.
Which NAVAREAs does the voyage pass through?
NAVAREA I, NAVAREA II, NAVAREA III, NAVAREA IX, NAVAREA VIII and NAVAREA XI. Keep the in-force navigational warnings of each.
How this distance is worked out
NaviBoss routes on a network of professional shipping lanes that keeps right through traffic separation schemes. The distance runs from the pilot boarding place at Rotterdam (Maas Center Buoy (Maascenter)) to the one at Shanghai (Baoshan Anchorage pilot exchange (inbound)), the same figure the planner gives for the two ports. Distances are great-circle nautical miles along that network. Seasonal Arctic routes are left out.
The same voyage the other way, Shanghai to Rotterdam, is the same distance.
More sea distances
- Rotterdam to Singapore8,414 nm
- Hamburg to Shanghai10,873 nm
- Rotterdam to Hong Kong9,835 nm
- Rotterdam to Busan10,906 nm
- Rotterdam to Mumbai6,462 nm
- Rotterdam to Colombo6,867 nm
- All sea distances
Plan it with your own ship
Open the planner, pick Rotterdam and Shanghai, set your speed and departure: you get the ETA, every waypoint and the route file for your ECDIS. Free with an account.
Plan this voyage →About our guides
NaviBoss guides are written and checked by maritime industry experts, masters and deck officers. Each one is built from the same data the planner uses, dated, and rebuilt when that data changes. Spotted something wrong? Tell us on the feedback board.
A planning aid, not for navigation. Check official charts and publications, the latest notices and your company's instructions before you rely on any figure here.